Lounge chair



Oct. 17, 1950 F J, LUKETA 2,526,248

LOUNGE CHAIR Filed July 12, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 1" ATTORNEYS Oct. 17, 195 0 F. J. LUKETA 2,526,248

LOUNGE CHAIR Filed July 12,- 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 H mmvrm FRANK J. LUKETA ATTORNEYS Oct. 17, 1950 F. J. LUKETA 2,526,248

LOUNGE CHAIR Filed July 12, 1946 4 Sheets-Shegt 3 'l J 6 J Q $5 No Q b N b \D A:

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Q o I 3 8 INVENTOR. H N FR'ANK J. LUKETA b h V I k W Y ATTORNEYS Oct. 17, 1950 F. J. LUKETA 2,526,248

' LOUNGE CHAIR Filed July 12, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. FEANK J. LUKETA 5 -AT7LORNEYS ia ten ted Oct. 17, 1950 LonNGE CHAIR 7 I V FrankJ. Iiuketa, Seattle, Wash. v r Application Jiily lfi, 1946, Serial No. 683,185

1 I Y The present invention concerns a chair, wherein a'seat and a back are each tiltable relative to the other between positions which may be described as generally upright, and positions which away; however, to showdetails of the head rest 'operatin'gmechanism and of the backoperating mechanism.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure.2,-but bro- Eigen away to show details of the se pe t ns :i oai'mQ.v (01. 155-105) :edges of the back.

mechanism and ofthe leg rest operatingrnechanism, and showing also certain auxiliary devices incorporated in, the chair.

, Figure 4 is a broken-away rear v ew of the are generallyhorizontal, and which in addition 5 back, showing thehead rest operating mecha has a leg'rest adjustable in and out'and u zand nism. f f 1 j down with respect to .the seat'which supports it, The remaining figures show .various details. a head rest adjustable with respect to the back Figure 5 is a View. in the nature of-a'sideelevawhich supports it, and which hasvarious other tion, or section at F --5 of Figure '1, illustrating accessories, such as a retractable table, a dismotor cut-out means interconnecting the seat'and mountable reading stand, a storage compartment back. Figure 6 is across sectionthrough the arm, in the arm, and the like. Briefly stated, the chair illustrating the retractable table, Figure '7 is a of the present invention is a lounge chair adapted similar cross section of the arm, illustrating the to be adjusted into various positions, and having mount for the reading stand; Figure 8is a plan immediately available various comforts and the 10 view of an arm, broken away to show the: relike'for the use or convenience of the occupant. tractable table, and other details. Figure 9 is'a The chair of the present application is related cross section through the seat to show the mangenerically tolthe chairsof various'copendingapner of connecting the seat tilting means to. the plicationsfiled by me, and patents issued thereon, seat. 'Figure 10 is a detail section of one of the as follows: a supporting feet, and Figure 11 is a detail axial 1 I section through the mount for the reading stand 33152 filed March 1945 now aban' showing the manner of supplying thereto current Patent No 2,481,133, dated September 6, 1949, 1 21 3 i gi thls new bemg' sectlon I Y gure 3. g sena'l filed September 1945* 25 The seat I and the back [constitute principal Patent No. 2,491,898, dated December 20, 1949,, body Supp0rting el ements ar t e pivo ally gt g gg g li filed December 194-5) now mounted for tilting about a common pivotaxis Serial 'No. 647,153, filedFebruary 12, 1946, now glg g i g gg gfi h rear edge the v I ge of the back. The arms 3 Patent N 2514555, granted July 1950' are part of the floor-engaging supporting frame, In its external aspects it is related also to certain a d are Connected, ac oss from side to side by design patents issued to me as follows 147,463 on tubular blfaces The leg rest 4 a h head September 9, 1947; 149,959'and 149,429, both on rest 5 a auxiliary y pp t members, 1 7 943 and in this construction the leg rest 4 is sup The objects of the'present invention are, m ported from and for movement with respect to .general; the applicable, objects stated in each of the seat I, While the 91 18 0 is simi arly up the specifications referred to above. "More spetpQrted upon and 0? movement With relation 9 Lcificallythe present invention has for its object eback 2. l s; the provision of a chair ofthis general nature, The floor-engagingysupportine'frame, referred best suited in construction and arrangement to 40 to above, includes, a P of upright Panels the achievementof the general objects indicated connected by h c s braces 30, and the ms 3 e are hollow and encase the panels 3| and. the In the accompanying drawings the invention is mechanism Supported, thereupon frame as shown embodied in a typical and presently prea Whole is Supported 9 feet 32, self-adjusting f d form 5 to floor inequalities by a ball and socket connec: Figure 1 is a plan view of such a chair, with tion at 33 to the cross braces 30 (see Figure 10). parts broken wa and with the several parts Theseat and the back are pivoted about co- -shown moreor less in a recumbent position of aXial pivot Supports whiche'ale r d y t e a ustm t; frame. A tubular rock shaft 20 .supports the Figure 2 is a view in side elevation, broken so back y a s of r al s 21, di p sed eside the hollow arms 3 and secured to the side rock shaft H), which is connected to the frame: wars of the sea y me ns sueh as the pest er Thetubular rock shaft 20 I surrounds and is in part supported by aninner pin ll mounted in the hub I2 and projecting through a slot 22, of some circumferential extent, in the rock shaft (see Figure 9). The rock shaft Ill may be, and preferably is, tubular, and surrounds and rocks about a tie rod 34, which joins the panels 3| at opposite sides of the frame, and which is readily demountable from the panels.

The rock shaft 10, and hence the seat I, is tiltable by means of a worm quadrantl3 driven by. a worm pinion l4 from a reversible motor 19 carried by one of the panels 3| within the arm at one side of the chair. The motor H3 is operated under control of switch buttons 39 arranged conveniently to the occupant in one of the arms of the chair, as is clear in Figure 3. In similar ,fashe ion the rock shaft 20, and hence the back '2, is tiltable by means of a quadrant23 driven by a worm pinion 24 from a motor 29 carried upon one of the panels 3|, normally the panel opposite that whichsupports themotor H3. The particular drive means described is simply representative of any suitable drive means that maybe employed for tilting either the seat or the back. i

The tilting movement of the seat need never be beyond ahorizontal limit and an uptilted limit somewhat less than vertical; the tilting of the back, likewise, need never exceed vertical and horizontal limits, respectively. Relative movement of the seat' and back'through 90 will permit both to lie ahorizontal position. and will also permit the {seat or the back to .rise, ,relative to the other in horizontal position, to a precisely upright position. Ordinarily, the most comfortable position is one wherein the seat is somewhat up'tilted above horizontal, and the back is tilted backfrom the vertical. The seatand the back do not ordinarily approach one another closer than 90, hence it canbeseen that if the slot 22 has an angular extent of approximately 90, the seat and back will be permittedas much relative angular movement as is ordinarily desirable. Should an additional range of relative angular movement be desired, the slot 22 may be extended. l

Since it is intended that the seat and back shall I never tilt relatively closer than 90, and the slot 22 is arranged topermit approach to this extent, but not closer, there remains the possibility that approach closer than this limit angle may tend to occur accidentally or through carelessness. Such jackknifing would probably produce structural damagasan d certainly interference between parts To prevent this switches l5 and 25 are interposed in the control circuits of therespec'tive motors l9 and 29, and are 56 located and 'arranged that relative approach of the seat and back closer than the intended limit angle of approach will break themotor circuit through one or both said switches, and approach movement will cease beforedamage occursf" Thearrangement shown mounts a common switchopening member 26 (Figure 5) upon 'the tubular shaft 20, to move relatively to both the switches 15 and 25 upon the rock shaft in in a path such that asthe limit angle of approach is reached the member-26 depresses and opens both switches 15 and 25. 'An alternativearr'angement would be to mount one switch upon the 'shaft 20 and the other upon the shaft [0, movable in paths to engage each the other.

The leg rest 4 is pivotally mounted at 40 upon supporting arms 4!, one at eachside, entering slots in the under side of the leg rest, and by this ill a 4. means the leg rest is movable in and out with respect to the seat I which supports it, and up and down with respect to the seat. The leg rest is weighted, so that, hanging free as shown in full lines in Figure 3, it assumes a position nearly parallel to the front edge of the seat, against which it may retract. The supporting arms 4| are each pivoted at 42 to a nut 43, which is threaded upon and movable lengthwise of a jack screw 44 journaled in the framework of the seat I. Each screw 44 is disposed parallel to guideways I B, and aroller 45 upon the nut 43 is guided in the guides l6, both for the purpose of preventing rotation of the nut 43 and for the purpose of affording a support for the pivot 42 in any. position of the nut along its screw 44.

Conjoint rotation of the two screws 44 is suitably accomplished, as by an endless chain 46 passing about sprocket wheels fast upon each of the screws 44, and driven by a sprocket wheel upon the shaft 41 from the motor 49.

Tiltingof the leg rest isaccomplished by up and down movement of guides such as the roll ers 6, which engage beneath the arms 4| outward,- ly ofJall positions of the pivot. 42.. ,These guide rollers'fi are mounted uponlevers 6l upon the rock'shaftfiil journaled in and extending across the front edge of the framework of the seat, ,A quadrant-62 upon the rock shaftfifl receives a chain or similartension member 63, which, in opposition to the spring 64 secured to the lever on the rock shaft, rotates the rock shaft in such sense as to tilt the levers Bl upwardly, and thereby to elevate the leg rest ,4. ,Such pull on the chain 63 may be produced by rotation ofa nut 66 upon a jackscrew Blfrom a motor 69 through the chain 68. A pin 6l', proj ecting from the jack screw 6'! and. guided ina longitudinal slot, prevents rotation of the jack screw upon, rotation of thenut. The rock shaft 60 and the jack screws 44 are so constructed in sections that they can be readilymounted or remounted in the chair.

The head rest 5 isanalogous to the leg rest in that the head rest, like the leg rest, is an auxiliary body-supporting member, which is mounted upon and for movement with, but also for movement with respect to, the primary body-supporting member, which in the case'of'the head rest is the back 2. The head rest 5 is" pivotally or hingedly supported by the elongatedhinge 50 .upon the upper edge of the back, and is engaged from its lower or rear side by a link 5| pivoted at 52 tothe nut. 53, which, being guided upon the guides 54 for rectilinear move'mentlehgthwise of the back, is caused to move in this mannerby rotation of the jack screw 55. Rotation of thejack screw, journaled in the framework of .the back, is accomplished from a motor 59 through a chain drive 56. Limit switches 51 and 58 are. .disposed in the path of the nut 53, and are connected in the circuit to the motor59 to break the circuit to the motor upon the nut reaching or approaching the respective limits ,of its movement.

While limit switches are not shown in ,conjunction with the other motors,,0ther than the switches l5 and 25, it will be understood that such limit switches maybeemployed, as good practice dictates, in any place where their use .would be helpful or convenient.

Such a chair, would normally include,.or' provide the possibility of including, a reading stand for supporting reading matter conveniently to the occupant in any ofthe various positions that a reading stand should be readily removable at Will, and yet it should incorporate a reading lamp, so that dismounting of the reading stand involves disconnecting the circuit to the reading lamp. Moreover, such a connection must leave the reading stand freely adjustable with respect to the arm 3 which supports it.' The arm 7 has been shown as provided with a downwardl projecting post'lfi receivable within a socket s? in the arm 3, and as is shown in Figure 11, the electric leads 7% within the post 78 and leading to the reading lamp terminate in circumferentially disposed contact rings which engage within the socket 3! contactors is in an external circuit which feeds the reading lamp. The post 78 can be lifted out of the socket 3'5, which will disconnect the circuit, yet without the necessity of disconnecting wires, and reconnection is just as simply made by reinserting the post it) Within the socket 3?. The construction and arrangement of the reading stand may vary widely, and any convenient form of stand may be employed.

All the controls for the several motors are preferably concentrated in one of the arms 8 of the chair conveniently to the hand of the occupant, in whatever position of adjustment chair may be. In consequence it is necessary that certain leads extend through from one arm.

to the other. To conceal the Wires to the greatest degree possible, some of them extend from 3. Such a table is conveniently of semicircular shape, but when retracted it blends With the design of the chair; see Figures 6 and 8. In addition to the table it is also convenient to provide a compartment or recess 35 within the arm I for the storage of articles which may .be desired by the occupant, such as smoking materials. Such compartment is normally closed by a hinged cover 36.

In the arm opposite that one in which the reading stand is socketed, an ash tray 31 is provided, as well as an electric cigarette lighter and 43.;

pushbutton controls 89 for a radio (not shown) which is also located in arm 3.

I claim as my invention:

1. A chair including as components a seat and a back, a tubular pivot support. for one thereof, and a pivot support for the other extending coaxially through said tubular support, seat-tilting and back' tilting means including rotative drive means operatively' connected to the ends of the respective'pivot supports, the connection location between the latters ends and supportbetween the inner pivot support and its supported I chair component including an element extending through the tubular support transversely at a 1 6 ingly engaging said supported component, said tubular support being circumferentially slotted for passage of said element, and to permit tilting of either the seat or the back independently and relatively to the other.

2. A chair including as components a seat and a back, a tubular pivot support for one thereof,

and a pivot support for the other extending coaxially through said tubul r support, seat-tilt- .ig and back tilting means including rotative drive means operatively connected to the-ends of respective pivot supports, the connection between the inner pivot support and its supported chair component including an element extending through the tubular support transversely at a .11 between the latters ends and supportengaging said supported component, said tubular support being circiunieren'tially slotted for passage of said element, and to permit tilting of either the seat or the back independentl and relatively to the other, and means automatically operable upon-relative approach of the seat and back to a minimum angle of approach to prevent further relative approach movement.

3. A chair including as components a seat and aback, a tubular pivot support for one thereof,-

pivot support for the other extending coaxially through said tubular support, seat-tilting and back tilting means including rotative drive means operatively connected to the ends of the respective pivot supports, the connection between the inner pivot support and its supported chair component including an element extending through the tubular support transversely at a location between the latters ends and supportingly engaging said supported component, said tubular support being cir'cumferentially slotted for passage of said element, and to permit tilting of either the seat or the back independently and relatively to the other, and cooperating'means, one tiltable with the seat and another having a predetermined angular relationship to the first. tiltable with the back, in coincident paths, operatively connected to the seat-tilting and back' tilting' means, engageable b relative approach of the seat and back to a predetermined minimum angle of approach, and when so engaged operable t deenergize the then energized tilting means.

FRANK J. LUKETA.

CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

